Liburnia Pseudoseminigra (Delphacidae: Homoptera), A New and Unusual Pest of St. Augustinegrass (Report‪)‬

Abstract No publications have reported delphacid planthoppers (Family Delphacidae) to be turf pests in the United States. In March 2005, a large infestation of the delphacid planthopper, Liburnia pseudoseminigra (Muir & Gifford), was found infesting St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze, in a commercial sod farm in southern Florida. Thereafter, a survey was conducted in commercial sod farms in southern Florida to determine the extent of the planthopper infestation in different St. Augustinegrass varieties. The planthoppers were found in low numbers in Floratam, Palmetto, and Seville and were moderately abundant in Bitterblue. However, Classic was clearly the variety supporting large numbers of the planthopper. Liburnia pseudoseminigra was described from Florida and apparently is a native species. Virtually nothing was known about its biology prior to its appearance as a pest of St. Augustinegrass in this study.